About me
About the Provider
Maria Esperanza Rodrigo, MD, is the Medical Director for the Heart Transplant Program and attending physician in the Advanced Heart Failure Mechanical Circulatory Support & Cardiac Transplantation Program at MedStar Washington Hospital Center. She also directs the outpatient LVAD (left ventricular assist device) clinic. As a heart failure and transplant cardiologist, she primarily sees individuals with advanced heart failure, including patients requiring heart transplants and mechanical circulatory support. She also specializes in managing cardiovascular disease during pregnancy, including peripartum cardiomyopathy, and treats patients with infiltrative cardiomyopathies such as sarcoidosis and amyloidosis.
Dr. Rodrigo’s approach to treating patients with heart failure begins with a thorough evaluation to determine the type of treatment they will require. She initially offers treatment with medication, and often further advanced treatments, such as implantation of a LVAD or heart transplantation. Dr. Rodrigo specializes in determining the eligibility of patients for these advanced heart failure therapies. When LVAD implantation is necessary, Dr. Rodrigo is part of a multidisciplinary team that offers patients the latest technology available in the field. Dr. Rodrigo follows these patients in the pre-, peri- and post-surgical period.
With a strong interest in advancing the field of heart transplantation, Dr. Rodrigo is the site principal investigator for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) sponsored Genomic Research Alliance for Transplantation (GRAFT) study, a project across five area transplant hospitals that is exploring the use of cell-free DNA in heart transplantation. She is also the site principal investigator for SHORE (Surveillance HeartCare Outcomes Registry) assessing the utility of AlloMap (gene-expression profile) and AlloSure (donor-derived cell-free DNA) to more comprehensively monitor heart transplant recipients for allograft rejection.
After receiving her medical degree from Universidad Favaloro in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 2003, Dr. Rodrigo completed an NIH research fellowship in cardiovascular disease, during which she focused her work on endothelial progenitor cells. She then joined MedStar Washington Hospital Center/Georgetown University Hospital, where she completed her internal medicine residency in 2009, followed by a year as Chief Resident. Dr. Rodrigo then went on to complete a first fellowship in cardiology in 2013 and a second fellowship in advanced heart failure & transplant cardiology in 2014, both at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital/Washington Hospital Center. She is board certified internal medicine, cardiovascular disease, and advanced heart failure and transplant cardiology.
Philosophy of Care
“It’s important for me to have open communication with each of my patients to understand that person’s wishes, expectations and environment. This helps me to provide compassionate, individualized care that is most appropriate for the patient and their family.
“Patients who come to our program will be receiving the very best care that is available today. We generate a relationship that is long-term with each individual -- the patient becomes our patient for life, and it’s a journey that we go through together.”
Clinical areas of focus
- Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
Conditions and procedures
Conditions I treat
- Advanced Heart Failure
- Advanced Heart Failure (ADHF)
- Advanced Heart Failure (AHF)
- Advanced Heart Failure Care
- Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy
- Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy (ARVC)
- Cardiac Sarcoidosis
- Cardiac Transplant Vasculopathy
- Cardiomyopathy
- Complications Of Cardiac And Vascular Prosthetic Devices
- Complications Of Heart Transplant
- Complications Of Transplanted Organs And Tissue
- Heart Disease
- Heart Failure
- Heart Transplant Rejection
- Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
- Multiple Myeloma With Amyloidosis
- Myocarditis
- Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension
- Presence Of Cardiac And Vascular Implants
- Pulmonary Edema
- Restrictive Cardiomyopathy
- Rheumatic Heart Disease
- Valve Disease With Congestive Heart Failure
Procedures I perform
- Pulmonary Artery Pressure Monitoring
Insurance
MedStar Health accepts most major health insurance plans. If you are uncertain as to whether your individual health insurance plan is accepted at MedStar Health, please call your insurance company.
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List of insurance plans we accept
- United Healthcare Navigate Cardiac Global
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- Options PPO Cardiac Global
- Private Health Care Systems (PPO)
- BCBS of Michigan (BCN Advantage,Security Blue, Freedom, Medicare PLUS Blue Group PPO)
- HealthyBlue PPO
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- AMERIVANTAGE/Amerigroup Community Care
- BlueChoice Open Access
- Geisinger Medicare Advantage
- TRICARE East Prime
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- CareFirst Federal Employee Program (Std. & Basic PPO)
- OCI Direct (HMO)
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PPO
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- CIGNA HMO Open Access
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO) Cardiac Global
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS Cardiac Global
- CIGNA Indemnity
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv. Special Needs Plans
- Aetna HMO
- CIGNA SureFit (HMO)
- First Health PPO
- Blue Choice Advantage
- Medicare FFS
- CareFirst NASCO
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- CareFirst FEP Blue Focus
- Erickson Advantage Plans
- Choice Fund PPO
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS)
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- TRICARE for Life East
- Choice POS
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage Core/Enhanced
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers Plus
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- Magellan Complete Care of VA - VA Medicaid MCO
- Choice POS II Open Access
- HumanaChoice Honor's plan PPO
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- CareFirst Community Health Plan of MD
- Aetna Advantage 5750
- Maryland Physicians Care MCO
- Kaiser Permanente Select Cardiac Global
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- IH-Open POS II
- CIGNA Connect EPO
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- CareFirst Blue Preferred PPO
- IH-Indemnity
- CareFirst EPO
- DC/MD SHOP QHP Small Business Plans
- Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS)
- Optimum Choice
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan
- Navigate
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- IH-Open HMO
- IH-Open Network Only Plus
- Advantra Platinum (PPO)
- Anthem BCBS of VA Key Care POS/PPO/Indemnity
- Kaiser Permanente Select - Added Choice
- United Student Resources
- IH-HMO
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- CIGNA EPO
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- First Health PPO
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- Aetna Classic 3500
- Aetna Better Health of VA
- OA Plus
- Humana Medicare Advantage - HMO Open Access
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- Aetna Basic
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- Police and Fire Clinic
- Core Essential (HMO)
- MD IPA (HMO) & MD IPA Preferred Cardiac Global
- Optima Family Care MCO - VA Medicaid MCO
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- Employee Health Plan
- Kaiser Permanente Signature - Added Choice
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Dual Adv
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- CareFirst Blue Card Program
- IH-EPO Plus
- IH-POS
- Aetna Classic 5000
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- CIGNA PPO
- Humana Medicare Advantage - PPO
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD HMO
- Medicare Direct
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- IH-Open EPO Plus
- HighMark
- Medicare Advantage - Advantra Value (PPO)
- IH-Open POS Plus
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO)
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- Beech Street PPO
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- Aetna Better Health of MD
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- IH-Network Only Plus
- Choice POS II
- United Healthcare Choice
- Network OA
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- Lasso Healthcare - Medicare Medical Savings Account
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- United Healthcare Community Plan - VA Medicaid MCO
- TriWest Healthcare Alliance
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Standard
- United Healthcare Select HMO-EPO/NPP Cardiac Global
- IH-Open HMO Option
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
- Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO)
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans (HMO, POS, PPO)
- Optimum Choice & Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) Cardiac Global
- IH-PPO
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs
- Humana Gold Plus HMO
- Aetna Advantage 6350
- CareFirst Administrators
- United Healthcare Choice Cardiac Global
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue SNP
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (HMO)
- CareFirst Maryland Point of Service Plan
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- POS OA
- MultiPlan, Inc
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice 3-tier POS
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- HUMANA/Choice Care Medicare Plans (Choice, Gold Choice)
- Aetna Medicare Advantage PFFS Plan
- Jai Medical Systems - Maryland Health Choice
- TRICARE East Select
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- Alterwood Advanatge HMO & DSNP Plans
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- HumanaChoice PPO
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- Kaiser Permanente HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- Sentara Health
- CIGNA PPO Plus
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Plus
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PLUS PPO
- NYC Medicare Advantage Plus
- Aetna Classic 5000PD
- Aetna Advantage 6350PD
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Basic
- Aetna Premier 200PD
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- IH-POS Plus
- CareFirst BlueChoice HMO
- Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- BCBS Out-of-State Medicare Plans (Blue Advantage)
- Kaiser Permaenete Signature - Added Choice Cardiac Global
- Tricare Reserve Select
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- United Healthcare Options (PPO)
- United Healthcare Choice Plus Cardiac Global
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- United HealthCare Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- CareFirst Dual Prime HMO-SNP
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (POS & POS OA)
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- UHC Passport
- Aetna VA Exchange
- United Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
Videos
Education
Board Certification:
Fellowship: MedStar Washington Hospital Center (2014)
Fellowship: MedStar Washington Hospital Center (2013)
Residency: MedStar Washington Hospital Center (2010)
Medical School: Universidad Favaloro (2003)